The present invention relates to a pneumatic running toy. The use of air pressure to power toy vehicles which traverse track ways is old in the art and one example is schematically depicted in FIG. 14. The track way toy 9 includes a road bed 91 provided at the top thereof with a runway 90 and a vehicle body 92 which moves along the runway 90. Below the runway 90 is provided an air chamber 93 while a carriage 94 is mounted within the air chamber 93. It will be apparent that the carriage 94 and the vehicle 92 are each provided with magnets and thus are attracted to each other. The carriage 94 is moved below the runway 90 by the force of air from the blower 95 being blown against a receiving plate 94a located at the rear end of the carriage 94.
In pneumatically running toys such as depicted in FIG. 14, the carriage 94 is essential, since it is the magnetic attraction between the running vehicle 92 and the carriage 94 that causes the vehicle 92 to race along the track way. The vehicle 92 cannot be moved without corresponding movement of the carriage 94 and, accordingly, the air chamber 93 must be sealed and extend around the entire length of the track way, from the starting point to the finishing point of the runway 90. It will also be apparent that since the air chamber 93 must be sealed, it is not possible to have intersecting air chambers 93 and, accordingly, it is not possible for the runway 90 to cross over other runways and the like. It is essential that the air from the blower 95 be confined within the air chamber 93 associated with each vehicle and not be dispersed. Loops in the track way design are not possible since air from the blower 95 would be directed towards the front of the carriage 94 and not the rear end thereof which includes the plate 94e.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple pneumatic driving mechanism permitting maximum freedom of movement of the vehicle and flexibility in the design of the track way.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the track way or running board is provided with a runway and a vehicle or running body for movement therealong. The running board is provided with an air chamber and a blower for supplying air thereto. A number of holes through which air is blown communicate with the air chamber and are inclined in such a direction to impinge on the vehicle and move same along the surface of the runway.
Since the vehicle or running body is adapted to be driven directly by the air blown through the holes, the construction of the entire track way is simplified. In the case where two or more runways are arranged in parallel along the track way and cross each other, the air chambers corresponding to the runways need not be connected to each other. The air chamber is interrupted at those portions in which the runways cross each other, it being understood that the vehicle or running body will move under the force of inertia at those portions where the air chambers are interrupted. It will also be apparent that the air chambers can be arranged in three dimensions promoting additional freedom of movement.